If he is rejected, the message to future public servants will be clear -- never rock the boat, always go along with the majority, never stake out an independent position, never take a principled stand and above all, never annoy a powerful enemy.
Sun-bleached boat sheds are built into the honeycomb rock, with long slats sloping down to the water so the fishermen can easily push their way out for the early morning catch.
The child's story is paralleled with that of another widow, who falls in love with and expects to marry a high-caste idealist but commits suicide when his father advises him not to rock the boat and to take her as a mistress instead.